Stan Waterman

Started diving as a schoolboy in ’36. During the war corresponded with pioneer equipment maker, Owen Churchill and tested his equipment with spearfishing companions.

Acquired first Aqua-Lung in the State of Maine, while working as a farmer. Pioneered SCUBA diving in that state.

Designed and built a special boat for diving, inspired by Cousteau and Hass

’54-’58 took boat to the Bahamas and established the first SCUBA diving facility in the islands. Charter boated for four years, pioneering diving in that area. Edited his first 16mm film from the experiences in the Bahamas, started lecturing with it and continued full lecture seasons with subsequent films for 5 years.

’58 Started documenting expeditions to create a repertoire of lecture films. For the next 10-15 years made films about the sea and diving. Most were ultimately purchased for television use in documentary series.

’65-’66 Took his family to French Polynesia to live in the islands for the entire year. National Geographic purchased the television rights. The story of an American family in the islands became one of their most popular hours.

Other films during that period focused on: an expedition up the Amazon to capture fresh water dolphins; an archeological survey of the Asia Minor coast resulted in the discovery of the oldest shipwreck at that time (1,300 BC/Late Bronze Age); a study of the right whales off the coast of Patagonia; Dr. Sylvia Earl and the Tektite ll experiment in living under water; narwhals in the Arctic Circle filmed for the first time under water; and diving the Hawaiian Islands with the first deep-water footage of black coral divers at work.

Films

Blue Water, White Death

In ’68 Stan joined Peter Gimbel as Associate Producer and underwater cameraman for the 7-month production of that classic film. Ron and Val Taylor, who would become life-long friends, plus Peter and Stan comprised the underwater team.

Peter Benchley & the ABC American Sportsman Show

Shortly after the publication of JAWS Peter moved to Princeton, just 3-minutes from Stan’s house. They became good friends and partners in a series of productions for the American Sportsman Show that lasted almost ten years.

The Deep

Co-director of underwater photography and co-director of the second unit for the production of THE DEEP.

Stan continued working with Peter on documentary productions for the Spirit of Adventure Series (ABC) and ESPN series, Expedition Earth.

Contracts for the production of public relations films have continued over the years. Some of the sponsors included Cayman Airways, the Tourist commissions of Bonaire, Curacao and the Bahamas, The Dacor Company and various tour companies and dive resorts.

Stan produced The Lost Treasure of the Concepcion for CBS and Audubon World of Sharks for Turner Broadcasting and PBS. He and his family were the subject of a 2-hour documentary by The Discovery Channel entitled, The Man Who Loves Sharks.

The Explorer’s Club: He carried the flag of the Explorer’s club on three expeditions: The Cochran Archeological Expedition to Asia Minor; the Niagra Falls Dolphin Expedition Up the Amazon and The Macinnis Narwhal Expedition to the Arctic Circle. He reported all in the Explorer’s Journal.

His book,Sea Salt (Memories & Essays) was published by New World Publications and sold out through a second printing. His Essays appeared in every issue for six years in OCEAN REALM magazine and many issues of SKIN DIVER. He presently writes for FATHOMS, OCEAN GEOGRPHIC and a monthly Dallas Corporation Newsletter. He was profiled in the Dartmouth Alumni Journal.

Honorary President The Antibes International Underwater Film Festival 2001

Honorary President Seventh Annual Celebrate the Sea Convention and Film Festival in Manila